Once you've completed your registration, you'll have full access to everything on offer during Welcome Week which runs from Monday 29 September - Friday 3 October 2025.
This includes access to the online Welcome Portal which has information on how to get started in your studies and the resources available from our student services.
Welcome Week is your chance to get informed, have fun, make friends and get ready for the next few years with us.
Your departmental induction is your essential opportunity to learn more about your department and your course, and to talk with key members of staff like your personal tutor. You’ll also have the chance to meet the people you’re going to be studying with.
Your department will be in touch before you arrive with more details and we’ll also be sharing everything on our events pages.
Information may be shared with you by email or Moodle (our virtual learning platform that can be accessed once you have set up your Essex email account).
For more information, please see your department's induction webpage:
The highlight of everyone's Welcome week is the Freshers' Fair, your chance to join societies, meet local businesses, and University services and of course get to know your Students' Union.
There will be loads of Welcome activities for you to get stuck into to help you settle in and get to know other students.
Check out all the events on the University events calendar and the SU events calendar.
Let us help you from A to B and explore the local area:
You will be able to volunteer and make a positive impact on the local community with our Students' Union VTeam (Volunteering Team).
There will also be a variety of one-off programmes delivered throughout the year, such as photography workshops, art workshops, origami workshops, card games, karaoke, virtual celebrations of cultural events.
Keeping fit and taking part in sport keeps both body and mind healthy.
From tennis to yoga, dance classes to climbing, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get involved in sport, recreation and green exercise programmes. To find out what's on offer, visit our sport page.
We have a range of different events and activities taking place on campus and online during Welcome Week. The perfect chance for you to make friends, meet like-minded people and orientate yourself around the campus and where you'll call home for the next few years.